1. Field
One embodiment of the present invention relates to an electronic apparatus having a housing provided with a keyboard mounting portion. In particular, one embodiment of the invention relates to a structure for draining liquid to the outside of a housing, when liquid is spilled on a keyboard placed in a keyboard mounting portion.
2. Description of the Related Art
A portable computer has a housing for housing main components such as a printed circuit board and a hard disc drive, for example. The housing has a keyboard mounting portion to mount a keyboard. The keyboard mounting portion is a concave area to firmly hold the keyboard, and provided on the top face of the housing.
An operator may operate the portable computer while drinking coffee, for example. If the operator carelessly spills the drink on the keyboard, the spilled drink may stay in the keyboard mounting portion or flow into the housing through the keyboard mounting portion.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2003-122454 discloses a portable computer, which is constructed to drain liquid that has flowed into a keyboard mounting portion to the outside of a housing. The portable computer has a guide channel having first and second drain holes, and a third drain hole.
The first drain hole is formed in a base plate of a keyboard, and faces the bottom of the keyboard mounting portion. The guide channel is formed on the bottom of the keyboard mounting portion. The guide channel receives liquid drained from the first drain hole, and leads the drained liquid to the second drain hole. The third drain hole is formed in the bottom of the housing, and is located immediately below the second drain hole.
In the above structure, the liquid that has been spilled on the keyboard is led from the keyboard mounting portion to the guide channel through the first drain hole. The liquid that has been led to the guide channel is caused to flow from the second drain hole to the third drain hole, and is discharged to the outside of the housing through the third drain hole.
According to the portable computer, the second and third drain holes open inside the housing, and face each other across a space inside the housing. In other words, as a drain route from the second drain hole to the third drain hole is exposed inside the housing, the spilled liquid inevitably splashes inside the housing while dripping from the second drain hole to the third drain hole.
Particularly, as a printed circuit board is placed around the third drain hole, the liquid splashed inside the housing may adhere to a charging portion of the printed circuit board. As a result, the circuit components mounted on the printed circuit board may be shorted, causing serious damage in the circuit components.